Nov. 28, 2012 10:34 a.m. | Brown Deer - The Brown Deer School Board on Tuesday decided to draft a letter to send to state legislators detailing the district's needs for the next biennial budget.

Brown Deer has faced massive cuts over the last state budget cycle. As talks of the new biennial budget begin, board member Dennis Griffin said this is an opportune time for the board to voice its opinion. Griffin recently attended lobbying meetings focused on the Department of Public Instruction's Fair Funding proposal, a plan DPI says would fix Wisconsin's funding formula and make it fair and equitable. In light of these lobbying efforts, Griffin brought the discussion of lobbying to the board to see what efforts they could make.

The issue is not whether the board supports the Fair Funding proposal, but rather what the district's main needs are in relation to state aid, Griffin said.

"I'm not saying if we should support the funding formula, I'm saying this is a good time to communicate what we need in Brown Deer," he said.

At the top of the list is more state aid. Business Director Emily Koczela said at the very least, Brown Deer needs to make it clear that it cannot withstand any further cuts in aid.

3:16 p.m. | Plans to develop a Hofbräuhaus brewpub and beer hall in Glendale have been dropped, but the property owner is working on a similar project to replace it.

The Bistro Group Inc., of Cincinnati, disclosed plans in September 2013 to buy and remodel the former Bavarian Inn restaurant, at 700 W. Lexington Blvd., into a Hofbräuhaus. The building, just west of I-43, is owned by Friends of BSC LLC, which also owns the adjacent soccer fields and Old Heidelberg Park.

But the proposed development didn't proceed, even as Frankenmuth, Mich.-based Hofbräuhaus of America LLC, which owns the nationwide license for the German company, opened Hofbräuhaus restaurants in other cities.

Hofbräuhaus of America chose not to proceed with the development after deciding the relatively small Milwaukee-area market already had a competing tavern that is strongly identified with the Hofbräu brand, said Fred Schumacher, president of the licensing firm.

That would be the Old German Beer Hall, at 1009 N. Old World Third St., which opened in 2005 and makes prominent use of the Hofbräu brand, Schumacher said. The tavern's owner, Hans Weissgerber III, also operates a summer beer garden at Estabrook Park in Shorewood that uses the Hofbräu brand.

2:04 p.m. | Glendale — The UW Marching Band will come to Nicolet High School on Saturday.

Nicolet High School will host Band Together, a concert and fundraiser, featuring the University of Wisconsin-Madison Marching Band on Saturday, March 7. Band Together benefits the four school district foundations of Fox Point-Bayside, Glendale-River Hills, Maple Dale-Indian Hill and Nicolet High School.

The event will be held at 1 p.m. in the Nicolet High School gymnasium. Attendees are encouraged to participate in the pre-concert festivities including sports team mascots, concessions, an instrument petting zoo and silent auction. The show will begin at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling (414) 351-7561 or through PayPal by using the donate button online at www.nicolet.us/people/foundation.cfm. Tickets will also be available for pick-up at Nicolet High School prior to the event or at will call the day of.

March 02, 2015 6:54 p.m. | Brown Deer — The Brown Deer Village Board unanimously approved an amendment to TIF District #2 that aims to spur redevelopment near Bradley Road and 47th St.

By adding the Algonquin School and Lighthouse sites, as well as a small amount of land owned by Milwaukee County, to its existing TIF District #2, village officials will be able to spend money on land improvements in hopes of attracting residential development.

A TIF district would allow the village to spend an estimated $3.5 million, including $1.4 million to buy the former Lighthouse of Brown Deer from New Perspectives Senior Living, which is building a larger, four-story assisted living center on 60th Street, north of Brown Deer Road. Village officials also estimate spending $1.7 million to install sewer, water and other public utilities for future residential development. Any expenditures the village chooses to make would have to be made by 2017.

Through the use of TIF funding, these infrastructure costs would be recouped through the additional tax revenue generated by future development. Once the costs are recouped, the additional tax revenue would once again flow to the village, school district and other taxing bodies.

Village officials estimate residential development on that 12 acres of land could create an estimated $5.5 million in value, including $1.5 million on the 3-acre Lighthouse site and $4 million on the 9-acre Algonquin School site.

Feb. 28, 2015 10:49 p.m. | No one knows when the last time the Shorewood girls basketball team won a WIAA regional title.

That information may be lost to the dusty pages of history.

All that coach Jeff Eimers and his over-achieving Greyhounds know, is that before a noisy home crowd backed by the boisterous Shorewood Pep Band, they made a little history Saturday night.

Some simply amazing history.

The Greyhounds used a stifling defense to hold visiting Whitefish Bay to just three second half field goals, only one of whch was scored when it mattered. They coupled that to an aggressive to-the-basket offense and were rewarded with a 52-40 WIAA D2 regional final victory.

Feb. 26, 2015 6:00 a.m. | When it was announced that local artist Miranda Levy would appear on Season 12 of "Project Runway" on Bravo TV, I attempted to reach her lots of ways. I finally connected with her via social media and remember thinking how poised she seemed in that 140-character realm.

Except that it wasn't her at all, I learned fairly quickly. It was her fiancé, Michael Adler, who convincingly channeled his significant other, virtually and sans the Bettie Page bangs, during her months of shooting the reality TV show.

"He still runs my Twitter feed," says Levy, who became known on the show for her pencil skirts and self-described "nerdy" looks. "He's a good partner. I think he knows me better than anyone does."

It isn't every couple that can share a Twitter account. Maybe that explains how these two artists who both create art at home can share a New York-sized apartment in Shorewood.

Adler is a musician and illustrator who studies computer engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works full time. Levy is a fashion designer and artist who works for the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend.

Feb. 24, 2015 10:43 a.m. | Shorewood — Demolition began Tuesday, Feb. 24, on Shorewood's old Walgreens building, paving the way for a two-story Metro Market grocery store, a four-story parking garage and a six-story building on Oakland Avenue.

Once the Walgreens and neighboring Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop are demolished, construction crews will begin work on the Metro Market grocery store.

Shorewood's existing Pick 'n Save will remain open until May when demolition begins on that building.

In the fall, construction will begin on the six-story, mixed-use building featuring upscale apartments and 15,000 square feet of retail space.

The new development will occupy the entire two blocks between Kenmore and Olive Streets on the west side of Oakland Avenue, replacing the current Pick 'n Save and abandoned Schwartz and Walgreens facilities.

Feb. 23, 2015 2:00 p.m. | Shorewood — Shorewood School District Superintendent Marty Lexmond is one of three finalists for an open superintendent position in the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District.

Lexmond said his interest in the West Allis-West Milwaukee position has nothing to do with a recent petition signed by more than 100 Shorewood residents urging the Shorewood School Board not to renew Lexmond's contract. Lexmond's contract automatically renewed on Feb. 1 for one year.

Lexmond said the opportunity in West Allis-West Milwaukee allows him to return to his roots in urban education. His career began with field experiences at North Division High School, seven years at Vincent High School and mentoring new teachers in Milwaukee middle schools.

Lexmond said his experience in Milwaukee Public Schools — combined with the leadership lessons he learned in Shorewood and Kohler — have given him skills to address challenges that come with a racially and economically diverse district such as West Allis-West Milwaukee.

"It's a district I've watched for quite a while. It provides a unique opportunity to bring together my experience in urban and suburban education," he said. "It's a really interesting opportunity that comes with greater diversity, larger size and more economic diversity."

Shorewood Superintendent Marty Lexmond, Greendale Superintendent John Tharp and MPS Regional Superintendent Jesse Rodriguez met with parents and community members at the district Saturday, in a forum broadcast on Time Warner Cable Channel 13.

The board plans to name a new superintendent on or before April 1. That person will take over the district starting July 1. Former West Allis superintendent Kurt Wachholz abruptly retired at the end of July 2014 after several years of rapid -- and in some cases controversial -- changes in the district.

Feb. 23, 2015 10:22 a.m. | A 27-year-old woman was arrested for driving the wrong way on I-43 after leaving a Milwaukee nightclub early Sunday morning.

Traveling northbound in the southbound lane, Sade Franklin side-swiped another car near Capitol Drive and crashed into a median south of Hampton Avenue, according to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office. The driver of the vehicle she struck said he saw the vehicle heading toward him and he attempted to swerve, but the wrong-way driver also swerved and struck him.

Glendale police and deputies arrested Franklin around 2:27 a.m. Sunday for drunken driving and recklessly endangering safety, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Franklin told police she had one drink at Club 618 at 618 N. Water Street in Milwaukee, and then entered the freeway at the Highland Avenue off-ramp.

Feb. 20, 2015 11:07 p.m. | Over the course of the last nine extremely successful years, the three-time WIAA state champion Germantown boys basketball team has had to stare down moments like it faced Friday night on senior night at home against archrival Homestead.

The Highlanders had erased a 10-point third quarter deficit, and behind the mighty efforts of 6-7 forward Jaylen Key (26 points), had surged into a 51-47 lead with 7:32 left before a packed Germantown gym full of hoops' junkies.

In the past, Warhawk superstars like Ben Averkamp, Zak Showalter, Luke Fischer or Lamonte Bearden would have stepped to the fore to put an end to such nonsense.

But those guys are long gone to college or beyond.

Enter junior point guard Juwan McCloud, who now put up his name for consideration among those Warhawk greats. In that fourth quarter, he would hit in short succession, four 3-pointers, including one four-point play.

The blood drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday in the newly remodeled Earl McGovern Board Room, where the Village Board hosts its meetings. A light lunch will be provided for all blood donors.

Feb. 18, 2015 12:40 p.m. | When measles hit the Chicago suburbs two weeks ago, schools in the North Shore took notice.

The North Shore Health Department has contacted area schools recommending that schools review their students' vaccination records. The health department has also provided a letter for schools to send to families encouraging them to get up to date on their vaccines.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all children get two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccines, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. Parents are allowed to opt out of vaccinations on the basis of health, religious views or personal conviction. The personal conviction option applies to parents who believe, for example, that vaccinations may result in autism.

Shorewood school nurse Cindy Roach has taken the health department's advice, and has started making phone calls to parents who are either behind on vaccinations or have chosen to opt out of vaccinations. She tells the parents that if a measles outbreak occurs in a Shorewood school, children who are not current with their vaccinations will be asked to stay home for several weeks.

In Shorewood, 90 out of 2,096 students are not current on their measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations. Some of those 90 children are foreign-born students behind on their vaccinations, and some may be behind on vaccines for other reasons. Out of those who choose to opt out, Roach said the majority of parents do so out of personal conviction, as opposed to health or religious reasons.

Feb. 17, 2015 10:19 p.m. | Fox Point — A Fox Point trustee candidate who wanted to remove his name from the ballot before Tuesday's primary election will have his request granted for the general election in April.

Craig Kaplan received less votes than the other four candidates on Tuesday's primary ballot, so he will not be on the ballot for the April election. The other four candidates - Liz Sumner, Marty Tirado, Jan Singer and incumbent trustee Beverly Bell - will compete against each other for two available trustee seats come the April election.

Kennedy and Shaw received more votes than Wiese in the primary election, so they will face off against each other in the general April election. Kennedy is the chairman of the Fourth of July Committee and a member of the Glendale-River Hills School Board. Shaw, the president of the Glendale Common Council, serves as the city's acting mayor. Wiese is also a Glendale alderman.